Wheat flour price increase not permitted: CAA

The recent wheat flour price increase was illegal because the Customer Affairs Authority (CAA) did not permit it, an official said.

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Chairman Dr. Lalith N Senaweera said they did not issue any written authorisations to the two main wheat flour companies (Prima Ceylon and Serendib Flour Mills Ltd) for the recent wheat flour price hike.

He said written notices should be issued by the CAA to the two main wheat flour companies if they want to increase the prices.

The wheat flour dealers also announced Saturday afternoon that there would not be an increase in the price of wheat flour despite their earlier decision to increase the price by Rs 8.50 a kilo

But no such written document was issued for those companies. "The price of wheat flour has not been changed or revised-and any retailer selling flour at an increased price will be raided. Any supplier responsible for such a price hike without our permission does it illegally and will, therefore, face legal consequences irrespective of their status or standing in the market,” the Chairman said.

Accordingly, the CAA had advised taking action against those who sell wheat flour more than the stipulated price of Rs 87 per kilo. We request the Prima company to cancel the price hike immediately if they had done so, the CAA said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)